Coasting-toboggan



(No Moda.) 2 sheenssheen 1.

J. S. W. MACKINTOSH.

GOASTING TOBOGGAN.

No. 425,138. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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@Mmmwoao `(No Model.) y 2 sheetssheet 2'. K

` J.- S. W. MACKINTOSH.

GOASTING TOBOGGAN.

No. 425,138 Y Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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JOHN S. XV. MAOKINTOSH, OF SARATOGA, NE YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES II. EMERSON, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

COASTlNG-TOBOGGAN.,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,138, dated April 8, 1890.

Application tiled February 25, 1887. Serial No. 228,859. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. W. MACKIN'rosH, of the city and county of Saratoga, and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and 5 useful Improvements in Coasting-Toboggans; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and complete descripro tion of the several features of my invention.

After fully indici'ating the several features of my improvements in connection with a detailed description of the toboggans illustrated in the drawings, they will be specially pointed i 5 out in the several claims hereunto annexed.

Referring to the two sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a toboggan embodying the several features of my invention. Fig. 2 is aside view of the same. Fig.

zo 3 is a lateral section near the middle crossbar at c. Fig. 4. is a lateral section near the front cross-bar at y. Fig. 5 is a lateral section near the rear cross-bar at z. Fig. 6 illustrates the bottom boards at their front ends 2 5 before they are bent into form to develop the hood. Fig. 7 shows the same boards in their bent positions.

The bearing or bottom boards A are two in number; but any number of narrower boards 3o` can be used without departure from my invention.

The cross-bars B, B', B2, B3, and B4 are so curved on their under sides as to provide for a correspondingly-convex lateral bearin g-su r- 3 5 face on the bottom boards A. The rear crossbarB5 is straight, thus making the bearingsurface laterally flat at the rear end of the toboggan. Commencing with the bearingsurface at the front cross-bar B, it will be 4o seen in Fig. 4t that it has a slightlygreater ldegree of lateral convexity than that at B2, (shown in Fig. 3,) the convexity at the intervening cross-bar B being a little less than at B and more than at B2. The convexity at 4 5 cross-bar B8 is less than at B2, and at B4 it is less than at B3, thus gradually merging the laterally-convex bearing-surface into a straight or flat lateral bearing-surface at the rear crossbar B5, as shown in Fig. 5.

5o My toboggan has not only a laterally-convex 'bearing-surface, but also a longitudinal convexity at each side of the toboggan, as clearly indicated. This longitudinal curve may be provided for by giving' the bearingboards a set bend, or it may be provided for by the use of heavy strained arched handrails, as will be hereinafter further indicated. Vith the lateral and longitudinal convexities thus described, it is to be understood that the centrall portion of the bearing surface is 6o straight longitudinally. The Vrear end of the toboggan is narrower than it is at the middle; but from thence forward it is of uniform width, as clearly indicated. With the bearing-surface thus provided for it will be seen that when on a flat-faced slide the toboggan will be in frictional contact with the ice at its entire rear portion, and that this contact lessens in lateral area toward the middle cross-bar, and that from thence to the front 7o cross-bar the said contact is restricted to a narrow central bearin g-surface, thus enabling the toboggan to make great speed and to be easily steered.

The cross-bars are secured to the bottom boards by means of screws c, passing downward through the main cross-bars, and -said screws are locked in position and cannot work loose, because over each main cross-bar there is an auxiliary cross-bar l), which is secured 8o in position by the screws b', engaging with the main cross-bars, and sometimes also passing into the bottom boards, but not through them.

The hand-rails C and the method of mount- 8 5 ing them involve several features of-novelty. Itwill be seen that the central hand-rail post c is higher than the post c next to it toward the front cross-bar, and that the post c2 at the latter is lower than either; also, that the two 9o posts c3 and c4 are in turn shortened, and that at the rear cross-bar there is no post Whatever, the rear end of each rail C being depressed and directly secured to the cross-bar with or without the intervening auxiliary cross-bar.

One novel feature in this connection con sists in placing the rear ends of the hand-rails so near the bottom of the toboggan that they do not obstructthe steering-rider while oc- :oo cupying the usual hip-seat position.

Another novel feature is in the straining or arching of the hand-rail, thus giving to the toboggan a peculiar degree ot springiness and great strength. Another feature in this connection consists in making the hand-rail posts as parts of the auxiliary cross-bars, and they are here shown as being integral with an auxiliary or upper cross-bar l). Each post has a concave seat for the hand-rail, and the lat` ter is firmly secured thereto by means of a strap d and the screws d. Forming these posts on and integral with the auxiliary crossbars instead of upon the main bars enables the screws a to be passed through the main bars and looked against loosening by the auxiliary bars, and such strains on the handrails as are incident to use cannot loosen said screws.

The toboggan has a spring-deck, which is composed of a series of thin springy slats e, extending t' rom the rear cross-bar to and beyond the front' cross-bar. Said spring-slats may be mounted on top of the auxiliary crossbars; but when the latter are employed I get the best results by placing the slats in notches cut in the lower or main cross-bars, as clearly indicated, so that on being fastened to the rear crossbar they will be confined at all the other bars by the overlying auxiliary crossbars.

The hood f is composed ot the front bent ends of the bottom boards and its appropriate hood-bars f and Prior to my invention the main hood-barf has always been as long as the other cross-bars, because the edges or sides j ot the hood have occupied truly vertical planos; but I have now for the lirst time curved said edges inward toward the middle of the hood, and said edges occupy inclined planes, which are retired from the vertical plane occupied by the sides or edges of the bottom ot1 the toboggan, as clearly indicated. in Figs. l and 7, and therefore the upper portions of the hood are practically protected from injurious abrasive contact with the side walls and banks of a slide. By reducing the length of the main hood-bar there is another great advantage, in that the feet of a front rider are restricted to practically central positions when braced against said bar, thus avoiding the liability of dangerous contact between the foot-clothing of a front rider and the side walls and banks otl a slide. In providing for a hood or head of this peculiar construction it will be seen on reference to Fig. C that the inward incline of the hood at its edge would result fromv cutting away the bottom boards at their front outer sides on an incline, as indicated in dotted lines at ji; but in doing this it will be seen that the ends of the wood-grain would be exposed to splintering as a result of Contact with side walls and banks, and therefore to preserve the grain o1? the wood intact at the said outer edge the boards are cut away angularly, as at f5, and when these cut edges are drawn together and the boards are twisted and bent and properly confined by the hood-bars and to the curved front cross-bar a hood of the desired form is developed.

Ilaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten tl. In a coasting-toboggan,the combination of bottom boards, a series of main cross-bars secured to said boards by means of screws through said bars and into but not through said boards, and auxiliary cross-bars secured to and overlying said main bars, substantially as described.

f3. In a coasting-toboggan, bottom boards atfording a laterally-convelebearing-surface for the toboggan, and which at the sides of the toboggan are longitudinally convex, in combination with bent or curved cross-bars secured to said boards for confining the latter in position, substantially as described.

3. In a coasting-toboggan,the combination of the bottom boards and the cross-bar secured thereto and the hand-rail arched or strained from end to end, substantially as described.

4. In a coasting-toboggan, the combination of the hand-rails, the hand-rail posts formed on auxiliary cross-bars, and underlying main cross-bars secured to said auxiliary cross-bars and also secured to the bottom boards, substantially as described.

5. In a coasting-toboggan, the combination of the bottom boards, the main cross-bars, the deck-slats on said cross-bars, and the auxiliary cross-bars overlying said deck-slats and also the main cross-bars, substantially as described.

JOHN S. W. MACKINTOSII.

Witnesses:

EsiuoND STILEs, Jnssn S'rILns. 

